THE “FOR OUR NEIGHBORS FUNDRAISING CONCERT,” SUNDAY AFTERNOON

GRAVENHURST AND AREA MUSICIANS VOLUNTEER TO HELP FIRE VICTIMS

The flames were still shooting out of the burned-out shell, of a main street Gravenhurst building, on Monday evening, when the local musician-kind, began a serious online chat about helping the fire victims. We weren’t too surprised. Our music colleagues are quick to offer help for a good cause. This was shaping up to be big one. We didn’t have to beg a favor. They were telling us to book a time and place.....and they’d be there!

With the ashes still warm, and the reality of loss just setting in, sons Andrew and Robert had been inundated with offers to support a fundraising concert. By noon, the day after the fire, the boys had booked the Opera House, this coming Sunday afternoon, April 10th, for a benefit concert, to begin at 2 p.m. It wasn’t long after news of this was sent out via email, before the roster of acts was already beginning to fill-out. Both lads, veterans of charitable work, were once again, thoroughly amazed by the good-neighbor musicians, and dancers from the “Just 4 Kicks Studio,” who had been so quick to volunteer their talents for this important cause.

There were several families in apartments above the retail stores, affected by the blaze, who lost all of their possessions, and did not have residential insurance. We would like to help these folks as much as we can, rebound after such a devastating loss. Admission to the afternoon concert / variety show, will be by cash donation at the door of the Opera House. If you would like to support the fundraising effort but can not attend, you are most welcome to drop off a donation at Andrew Currie’s Music and Collectibles, across from the Opera House, and we will include it in the concert proceeds.

And always quick and eager to volunteer, for all our many fundraising efforts, in Gravenhurst, Fred Schulz has agreed to act as Master of Ceremonies for the show. We couldn’t be more delighted. We’ll call it a Barge season warm-up for Fred. We are hoping Doug Chamberlain, one of our untiring, long-time supporters and stage manager, will also be able to join us for the Sunday program.

As I have written about previously in this blog, our family has always been impressed by the way our hometown comes together, so much in evidence during these times of crisis. As neighbors and concerned citizens helped out folks, following the recent tornado that hit town, we find the same wonderful kindnesses being bestowed today, as our main street business community has suffered yet another serious blow. When our boys, who live and breathe for music, decide to put on a concert to help a worthy cause, it always amazes them to find so many generous souls in the community, and from around Muskoka, willing to offer their talents to help us achieve our fundraising objective. To say it does the heart good, is an understatement. The generosity shown us, and the good folks we have been trying to help in our community, has been nothing short of inspiring. The line-up of Sunday’s concert is still being finalized but it will most certainly include the Just 4 Kicks dancers, The Bodenville Flyers, Steve Ambrose, Pressure Point and dozens of others yet to come. We will let you know a full list of entertainers as soon as we finalize the program. You can most certainly drop into the Music Shop and visit with Andrew and Robert for additional information on donations, and the concert program for Sunday’s show.

Watch this blog-site for more concert updates.

Thanks for helping us out. Thanks for all your hometown kindnesses. What a great place to live.